[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16612-16613]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE SERVICE AND LIFE OF SGT. FRED CUARESMA YURONG

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 25, 2017

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today. to honor the life and 
accomplishments of U.S. Army Sergeant Fred Cuaresma Yurong. Following 
the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, Fred answered President 
Roosevelt's call to service and joined the 1st Filipino Infantry

[[Page 16613]]

Regiment. He went on to serve in both New Guinea and the Philippines 
during WWII. During this time, Fred served with distinction, reaching 
the rank of Sergeant and displayed a level of commitment to serving 
others that would show throughout the rest of his life.
  Out of the 250,000 Filipino soldiers who served during World War II, 
Sergeant Yurong was one of the few to be granted citizenship in a mass 
naturalization ceremony held in Camp Beale on March 20, 1943.
  Upon completion of his service, Sergeant Yurong married his wife in 
the Philippines before relocating back to California and raising a 
family of five children. He continued his service to the community 
through his active involvement in the American Legion and several 
Filipino organizations in Stockton, California. His contributions speak 
to the testament of our country's servicemen and women selfless 
commitment to serve our communities. While he passed away on May 26, 
1976, the impact of his contributions to this country and to those 
whose lives he touched remains just as strong today. His children 
continue to honor his legacy by engaging in community building and 
serving others, values that their father instilled in all of them.
  Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
service and life of a man whose commitment to serving others was 
displayed through a life of service to his country and community. It is 
both fitting and appropriate that we recognize Sergeant Yurong, who 
made sacrifices for the freedoms enjoyed by our country, served with 
distinction, and went on to leave a legacy that is carried on by his 
family today as he is honored for his service. I join the family of 
Sergeant Fred Cuaresma Yurong and wish them the best as we honor his 
service with the Congressional Gold Medal along with the other Filipino 
Veterans of World War II.

                          ____________________